Eating healthy is especially important during the cold winter months, when your body is particularly at risk for sickness and infection. But eating healthy can be tough to do, if you’re working full time (or overtime), taking care of a house and raising children.

That's why this time of year is perfect for pulling out your crock-pot. Cooking in a crock-pot is a fantastic way to ensure your family gets their nutrition while saving you prep and cooking time. We here at Healthy Hearing want to help you help your family protect their hearing health by eating foods rich in nutrients that protect hearing, such as folic acid, potassium, magnesium and zinc.

Aren't sure what foods are rich in folic acid, magnesium or zinc? No worries! We've come up with a fun, easy and tasty recipe ripe with in-season vegetables that are chock full of these nutrients to get you started.

The curry below listed below is rich in vitamins and minerals that are good for your ears. Yogurt and squash are full of potassium, which helps regulate the fluid in your inner ear. Lean meat, like poultry, is high in zinc. Your inner ear has a high concentration of zinc and maintaining the mineral is important to also maintain your hearing. Serving the curry over brown rice is not only a great way to savor all of the tasty sauce; it's also a food packed with magnesium, helping maintain nerve function which reduces your risk of tinnitus.

Crock-pot* chicken curry over rice

Enjoy a hot bowl of toe-warming chicken curry
without spending all day over the stove! Best of
all? This recipe is full of nutrients that help
maintain your hearing health.

Instructions:

Whisk tomato paste, curry powder, ginger and chicken stock together in bowl. Heat olive oil up in large pan on medium high heat. Add garlic and onion. Saute for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add chicken. Brown on each side, about 2 minutes each. Add chicken, garlic and oil to crock-pot. Add potatoes, broccoli and squash to crock-pot. Pour in tomato paste/curry powder/stock mixture into crock-pot. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3. Salt and pepper to taste. For serving, make brown rice according to rice instructions. Ladle curry and chicken over rice. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of scallions.

While being mindful of the nutrients you put in your body will help you feel better overall, it won't bring back any hearing loss you may be suffering from already. If you feel you or someone you know may have hearing loss, make an appointment with a hearing healthcare professional.

Lauren Clason

Lauren Clason earned her journalism degree from Indiana University. She enjoys writing impactful content about a variety of topics, including healthcare issues.